Nandigram: With Election Commission announcing the Nandigram assembly bypoll on Oct 6, Hansirani Rath, mother of CM Suvendu Adhikari’s late personal assistant Chandranath Rath, and local BJP heavyweight Meghnath Pal have emerged as frontrunners for the party ticket. The names of Anjan Bharati and Pralay Pal are also doing the rounds.Hansirani, a five-term panchayat and panchayat samiti poll winner, expressed her readiness and said: “If I am given the responsibility, I will accept it humbly.”Chandranath was shot dead in Madhyamgram two days before Suvendu took oath as CM. Suvendu visited the family shortly after, assuring them he would act as their household guardian.Echoing his commitment, Hansirani said: “After the demise of my elder son, CM Suvendu-babu has been the guardian of our family. If he entrusts me with any responsibility, I will accept it with total devotion. I will dedicate whatever remains of my political career to Nandigram and serve until my last drop of blood.”Hansirani, however, clarified that candidate speculation was “just a rumour for now”. “BJP’s central and state leadership will decide the candidate through discussions. If the speculation becomes a reality, we will act accordingly,” she said.Political observers recalled a similar precedent following the 2007 land movement, when Firoza Bibi, a “martyr’s mother”, was fielded as Suvendu’s preferred candidate in the 2009 bypolls and 2011 assembly elections.Meghnath, one of Suvendu’s closest confidants and former TMC block president, is BJP’s second-in-command in Nandigram. His organisational efforts were key to BJP’s 2021 victory over former CM Mamata Banerjee and also in 2026. Bharati, a former CPM neta and Suvendu’s close aide, is credited with consolidating anti-TMC votes in Nandigram-II in the 2021 and 2026 polls.Contai MP and Suvendu’s brother Soumendu Adhikari said: “Candidates for bypolls are decided at the highest level of leadership. There is no doubt our candidate will win with a record margin. We are aiming to surpass the victory margin in Falta.”Meanwhile, Trinamool shows minimal ground presence following its assembly poll loss. Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh heightened internal friction on Friday, targeting Kolkata-based netas for the party’s decline in Nandigram. “When I was given responsibility, I delivered strong results… Then they sent in so-called experts — Rajib Banerjee, Tanmoy Ghosh and others. I was removed without any notice. Let some things remain unsaid for now...”